Why not take advantage of your stay in Cape Town to road-trip along the fabulous Garden Route? Here’s our 5-stop itinerary along the Garden Route , departing from Cape Town and arriving in Port Elizabeth. Panoramic photos and lasting memories guaranteed…
A 5-day itinerary on the Garden Route
South Africa lends itself particularly well to road-tripping, with roads in good condition and wonderful scenery.
We highly recommend exploring the Garden Route, some 750 km of spectacular roads between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, in 5 equally attractive stages.
Between land and the Indian Ocean, the scenery is breathtaking. With forests and mountains on one side of the road, and the magnificent Indian Ocean coastline with its beaches and steep cliffs on the other, you won’t regret your choice!
Discover Hermanus and its whales, Knysna and its turquoise lagoon, Wilderness and Tsitsikamma parks , Oudtshoorn and its ostriches, and finish off with a safari in the magnificent Addo Elephant Park, the kingdom of pachyderms.
This trip is ideal for families with small children, as all the parks in the region are malaria-free!
Stage 1: Hermanus
Leave Cape Town in your rental car and take the N2 towards the Overberg region; right from the start, the road is superb with its wild landscapes, dunes, cliffs, fynbos*, and the tumultuous ocean… first stop for the unmissable whale-watching from Hermanus!
*(In Afrikaans, Fynbos means fine bush)
Another little stop full of wild charm is L’Agulhas(Cape Agulhas), the official landmark marking the passage from the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean. Its lighthouse is located at the southernmost tip of South Africa – yes, it’s not the Cape of Good Hope as some would have us believe!
Leave the N2 and head inland on Route 62, which is bordered by the Langeberg mountains. On the way, Montagu, a small Victorian spa village with a quaint, old-fashioned charm, is well worth a stop.
Stage 2: Oudtshoorn
Over magnificent mountain passes, stunning red rocks and the wide-open spaces of the Klein Karoo, lies Oudtshoorn, the ostrich capital. After a visit to an ostrich farm and… why not indulge in a rodeo, a visit to the Cango Caves is a classic. At 20 million years old, they are well worth a visit.
Leave Route 62 (which some compare to the legendary Route 66 in the USA) and join the N2, approaching the coast to admire the wild coastline with its breathtaking scenery! White sandy beaches follow one another, bordered by forests and cliffs.
Stage 3: Knysna
Between Mossel Bay and Knysna, the immense Wilderness beach is magnificent and very wild. For hiking enthusiasts, there are the trails in Wilderness National Park that take you through the rainforest and its waterfalls. A wetland covering more than 2,500 ha, the park is home to an exceptionally rich flora and fauna.
Next stop, Knysna and its large lagoon! A picturesque, peaceful town, discover the Waterfront and its small, welcoming restaurants, and let yourself be tempted by some oysters. If you feel like it, you can rent a non-motorized houseboat anchored in the lagoon, with a small dinghy docking at the Waterfront for supplies.
(Oyster farming is the local specialty, known throughout South Africa).
Stage 4: Tsitsikamma
The next stop is the seaside resort of Plettenberg Bay, with its 15 km of sandy beaches. The region is known for its rich marine reserves, home to colonies of dolphins, seals and whales.
Close to Plettenberg Bay is Tsitsikamma National Park*.
*(Tsitsikamma in Khoisan means “place full of water”).
Let yourself be tempted by a superb seaside stroll over the impressive suspension bridges. If you’re lucky, you’ll catch a glimpse of dolphins.
Stage 5: Addo Elephant National Park
Take the road back to Port Elizabeth, the end of your journey, but first a short elephant safari!
Last stop: Addo Elephant National Park, where the elephant is king!
South Africa’s third-largest national park, it is home to over 400 elephants, the “Big Five”, and multitudes of birds and antelopes. The park is home to a marine reserve, where you can see the “Big 7”: lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant, rhinoceros, southern right whale and great white shark!
At the end of your Garden Route tour, the choice is yours: take your return flight or, why not, opt for an extension, discover KwaZulu Natal, drive up the coast to St Lucia, let your imagination work and… contact us to create the trip of your African dreams!
Let’s plan your customized trip together
South African Travellers is at your service 7 days a week. We are a local agency based in Cape Town and have been the leader in tailor-made travel in Southern Africa since 2007. Our job? To help you build your road-trip step by step, according to your pace, your budget and your choices.
A ranger is at your disposal to help you plan your itinerary and make reservations for your accommodation and vehicle.
See you on this side of the world!
Irina.
